Air lift system



Oct. 8, 1929. J. OLIPHANT AIR LIFT SYSTEM Filed March 26, 1926 5 m n6 wpf Z Wu 4 a w m Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHNOLIIPHANT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COM-PANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS AIR LIFT SYSTEM Application filedMarch 26, 1926. Serial No. 97,651.

My invention relates to air lift systems. In air lift systems andparticularl n such systems employed in the raisin r o water from deepwells, it frequently appens that the standing level of the liquid to bepumped rises to such a height in the well above the foot piece that anair pressure adequate to maintain pumping during normal pumpingoperation is insuflicient to start discharge against the liquid head.Provision is therefore necessary for blowing off the excess head and thepresent invention relates more particularly to air lift pumping systemsprovided with means for effecting this result.

An object of the invention is to provide improved airlift pumping means.Another object of the invention is to provide improved air lift pumpingapparatus having improved means for blowing off an excess head. A 2Qfurther object of the invention is to provide improved fluid conductingand discharge means for air lift pumping systems whereby the control ofa starting mechanism can be most simply accomplished. Other ob ects andadvantages of this invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustrationone embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Fig. 1 shows in partial section a side elevation of an air lift systemequipped with the illustrative embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through abooster and through one form of controlling mechanism for the improvedstarting valve mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section mal level of the liquid to bepumped during pumping operation and is connected at its.

upper end with a booster or separator 7 in which the rising column ofliquid and gaseous pumping fluid is separated. The pumped liquid isdischarged through a line 8 to a point of storage or use. At its lowerend the down pipe 5 carries a foot piece 10 which may be of any usualconstruction and which is herein shown in the form of a chamber formingmember 11 provided at its lower end with supporting wings 12 restingupon transversely extending rods 13 which extend from side to side ofthe riser pipe 6. The chamber forming member 11 is traversed by aplurality of upwardly inclined discharge passages 14 through which thegaseous pumping fluid is discharged into the liquid column in the riserpipe 6 to effect pumping.

The down pipe 5 is made in two parts respectively designated 5 and 5".The lower part 5* is provided at its upper end'with a threadedconnecting element 15 onto whose outside is screwed a sleeve-like member16 having at its upper end an inwardly directed annular shoulder 17.Within the bore 18 of the member 16 is reciprocable the enlarged head 20of a nozzle member 21 which.is threadedly connected through a coupling22 to the lower end of the upper down pipe section 5. The lower end ofthe portion 20 is provided with a tapered portion 23 adapted to seatunder certain conditions upon a correspondingly tapered seat portion 24:at the upper end of tie sleeve 15. The upper surface of the portion 20is also similarly provided with a conically tapered portion 25 whichcooperates with a corresponding portion 26 upon the inner side of theradially extending flange 17. The lower end of the coupling 22 is formedwith a conically bored seat portion 29 adapted to seat on acorresponding surface 29 on flange 17 when the surfaces 23 and 24 are incontact. Seating between surfaces 29 and 29 is more essential thanseating between surfaces 23 and 24. The member 21 is traversed by aseries of discharge openings 27 throughwhich fluid may be dischargedinto the liquid column when the parts are in the position shown in Fig.3. The parts 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, etc. are

arranged at such distance above the foot tion 5 is carried upon thecross rods 13.

Adjustment of the upper pipe section 5 relative to the lower pipesection 5 is accomplished by means of a hand wheel 30 which rotates anut 31 cooperating with the threaded end 32 of the upper down pipesection 5 A stuffing box 33 is provided at the upper end of the threadedportion 32 and cooperates with a smooth terminal portion 34 of the valvecontrolled receiver discharge line. If desired, any suitable means forsupporting the portion 3a against movement on sliding longitudinallythereof of the pipe section 5 may be provided, as, for example, a hangermounted on the top of the booster casing 7.

The mode of operation of this mechanism will be readily understood. Letit be assumed that the pump has been shut down for some time and thatthe liquid level in the well casing has risen to such an extent thatdischarge through the jets 14 will be impossible with the pressureavailable. The compressor 1 having been started up and the valve 4opened the impossibility of the air discharging against the standinglevel will be demonstrated by a failure of the pump to begin operation.The hand wheel 30 may then be turned to raise'the riser pipe section 5to bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 3. lVhen thisposition is reached, it will be observed that the nozzles 27 areuncovered and capable of freely discharging into the column of liquid inthe riser pipe. It will be noted, moreover, that any escape of liquidbetween the inturned flange 17 and the outside of the member 21 will beprevented by the engagement of the seat 26 by the tapered portion 25 onthe member 20. Vhen the operator is sure the excess head has been blownolf, which may be ascertained by observation of pressure changes in thereceiver, for example, the hand wheel 30 may be operated to lower theupper down pipe section 5 and the conical surface 29 on the coupling 22may be causedto seat upon the upper surface 29 of the upturned flange 17and prevent all leakage at the auxiliary excess head discharging jet.

It will be noted that this mechanism is very simple, has comparativelyfew parts, permits the use of the air lift pumping method with a centraldown pipe type of air lift pumping system without the necessity forrecourse to any auxiliary valves actuated through separate connectionswith the top of the well, and further provides against waste of airthrough leakage during the inactive period of the auxiliary nozzledevice or inefiicient discharge therefrom during the pumping period.

While I have in this application specifically described one form whichmy invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air lift pumping mechanism, a riser pipe, a down pipe therein,a foot piece at the lower end of said down pipe having a plurality ofconstantly open discharge orifices, an auxiliary starting jet betweenthe ends of said down pipe and comprising a telescopic joint in thelatter, and means for moving the upper end of said down-pipe to controlsaid jet.

2. In an air lift pumping mechanism, a riser pipe, a down pipe therein,a foot piece at the lower end of said down pipe having a plurality ofconstantly open discharge orifices, said down pipe comprising relativelymovable upper and lower portions, and means at the junction of saidortions forming an auxiliary pumping fiiiid discharge device andcontrolled by relative movement between said portions.

3. In an air lift pumping mechanism, a riser pipe, a down pipe therein,a foot piece at the lower end of said down pipe, said down pipecomprising relatively movable upper and lower portions, and means at thejunction of said portions formin an auxiliary pumping fluid dischargedevice and controlled by relative movement between said portions, meansfor supporting said lower portion in said riser pipe permitting flowtherein, and means permitting adjusting of said upper portion withoutvarying or interrupting pumping fluid discharge at said foot piece.

4. A collapsible jet comprising an imperforate tubular body portion, asleeve reciprocable relative to said body and providing a series ofdischarge nozzles adapted to discharge directly into a rising column ofliquid, the discharge nozzle carrying portion of said sleeve beingwholly receivable in said body in one relative position of said partsand movable to an opposite position in which 'said discharge nozzles lieoutside said body portion, means carried on said sleeve to preventcomplete separation of said sleeve and body, and means including aportion on said sleeve and a portion carried by said body for sealingcommunication between the interior of said body and the exterior thereofwhen said sleeve is in full telescoped position relative to said body.

5. A collapsible jet comprising an imperforate tubular body portion, asleeve reciprocable relative to said body and providing a series ofdischar e nozzles spaced longitudinally thereof and adapted to dischargedirectly into a rising column of liquid, the discharge nozzle carryingportion of said sleeve being wholly receivable in said body in onerelative position of said parts and movable to an opposite position inwhich all of said discharge nozzles lie outside said body portion, meanscarried on said sleeve to prevent complete separation of said sleeve andbody, I and means including a portion carried by said body and acooperating collar above said sleeve for sealingcomfiiunication betweenthe interior of said body and the exterior thereof, said collar havingmeans adapted to seat on the exterior of said body ortion when saidsleeve is in full telescope position relative to said body.

6. In an air lift pumping system, a downpipe for conveying actuatingfluid into a well, a discharge pipe surrounding said down-pipe, meansfor discharging fluid from said down-pipe adjacent the lower end of thewell, means controllable f1 m the top of the well-for moving saiddown-pipe, and valve means actuated by movement of said downpipefordischarging actuating fluid into said riser pipe above said otherdischarge means when the latter is precluded from discharg in solely byexcessive hydraulic head.

In an air lift umping system, a riser pipe, a down-pipe t erein, a footpiece adjacent the lower end of said down-pipe, said down-pipe bein madeup of a plurality of relatively mova 1e sections, valve means at thejunction of two of said sections forming an auxiliary pumping fluiddischarge device and controlled by relative movement of two of saidsections, and means for supporting the lower section in said riser pipeat the lower end thereof, said supportin means comprising transverselyextendin in said riser pipe at a point of fufil diameter therein.

8. In an air lift limping mechanism, a riser pipe, a down plpe therein,means constituting a foot piece disposed at the lower end of said downpipe and havin pumping fluid discharge orifices, an auxi lary startingjet between the ends of said down pipe and comprising a telescopic 'ointin the latter, and means for moving t e upper end of said down pipe tointerru t discharge through said starting jet while ow continues throughthe pumping fluid discharge orifices in said foot piece constitutingmeans.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

- JOHN OLI HANT.

